Pilfer-proof merchandise card holding device

ABSTRACT

A pilfer-proof merchandise card holding device is disclosed which supports merchandise cards on a tubular hanger by openings formed on the cards for that purpose. A plurality of spaced vertical posts extend upwardly through a slot provided along the upper wall of the tubular hanger. One of the merchandise cards is supported between each of the posts. The bottom of the posts rest on a shelf within the hanger and each of the posts is attached to a link of a chain which extends along the shelf. A spring loaded actuating rod extending from the rear of the hanger maintains the posts in a fixed, upwardly extending position, thus preventing removal of the cards off the front end of the hanger. When the actuating rod is depressed, the chain is adapted to be advanced causing the posts to be moved along the slot toward the front end of the hanger so that the forwardmost post is carried by the chain down into the hanger. The card that was being retained by that post can thus be removed from the hanger. The actuating rod is arranged to be depressed by the action of a lever which operates as a result of the insertion of a coin in a coin machine.

United States Patent [1 1 Canning Apr. 23, 1974 1 PILFER-PROOFMERCHANDISE CARD HOLDING DEVICE [76] Inventor: Glenn R. Canning, 100 S.Brea Blvd., Pico Rivera, Calif. 92621 [22] Filed: July 9, 1973 [21]Appl. No.1 377,790

Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 240,131, March31, 1972.

Primary E.\'aminerStanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-David A.Scherbel [5 7.] ABSTRACT A pilfer-proof merchandise card holding deviceis disclosed which supports merchandise cards on a tubular hanger byopenings formed on the cards for that purpose. A plurality of spacedvertical posts extend upwardly through a slot provided along the upperwall of the tubular hanger. One of the merchandise cards is supportedbetween each of the posts. The bottom of the posts rest on a shelfwithin the hanger and each of the posts is attached to a link of a chainwhich extends along the shelf. A spring loaded actuating rod extendingfrom the rear of the hanger maintains the posts in a fixed, upwardlyextending position, thus preventing removal of the cards off the frontend of the hanger. When the actuating rod is depressed, the chain isadapted to be advanced causing the posts to be moved along the slottoward the front end of the hanger so that the forwardmost post iscarried by the chain down into the hanger. The card that was beingretained by that post can thus be removed from the hanger. The actuatingrod is arranged to be depressed by the action of a lever which operatesas a result of the insertion of a coin in a coin machine.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures EATENTEDAPR 23 1974 SHEET 2 [1F 5PILFER-PROOF MERCHANDISE CARD HOLDING DEVICE REFERENCE TO PRIORAPPLICATION The present application is a division of U.S. Pat.application Ser. No. 240,131, filed Mar. 31, 1972.

This invention relates to merchandise card holding devices and moreparticularly to structures for making such devices pilfer-proof.

It is well known to display merchandise cards in retail stores bysupporting the cards on hangers. Each card is formed with an opening bywhich it is supported on the hanger. Displaying merchandise in thismanner is very desirable since it enables the customer to view themerchandise and select the items which he is interested in purchasingwithout taking up the time of the sales clerk. However, when themerchandise is displayed in this fashion, pilfering of the merchandisecards is quite common. Therefore, there is a need for a merchandise cardholder which provides for securing the card on the holder until themerchandise is ready to be sold.

In the card holding device of the present invention a tubular hanger forthe merchandise cards is provided with a slot along the length of itsupper wall and an elongated horizontal shelf is formed within thetubular hanger below the slot. Within the tubular hanger a clutch andsprocket drive is rotatably supported adjacent the inner end of theshelf and a cylindrical guide is supported adjacent the outer end of theshelf. A continuous loop of chain encircles the shelf with one end ofthe loop fitted on the sprocket drive and the other end of the looppositioned about the cylindrical guide. A plurality of spaced retainingposts are attached to the sides of the chain with the posts attached tothe portion of the chain below the shelf resting on their sides on thebottom of the tubular hanger and with the posts attached to the portionof the chain above the shelf resting with their bottoms on the shelfsuch that they extend vertically through the slot on the upper wall ofthe hanger. An actuating rod extending from the rear of the hanger isprovided with a spring for holding it in its withdrawn position. Theactuating rod is provided with a rack on the inner end thereof whichengages a pinion on the end of the clutch which drivingly engages thesprocket drive. Thus, each time the actuating rod is depressed againstits spring into the tubular hanger, the chain is advanced in its pathabout the shelf to permit the forwardmost post resting on the shelf tobe drawn by the chain into the tubular hanger below the shelf, thusfreeing a merchandise card for withdrawal from the end of the hanger. Acoin machine is associated with the card holding device which operatesto depress the actuating rod and thus free a merchandise card when acoin is inserted in the machine.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide apilfer-proof merchandise card holding device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pilfer-proofmerchandise card holding device which permits a single merchandise cardto be released each time the card holding device is actuated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a merchandise cardholding device which is actuated to permit a card to be removedtherefrom by the use of a coin machine.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a merchandisecard holding device which is adapted for mounting on a standardpegboard.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the card holding device of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the card holding device showingthe actuating rod in its depressed position in the tubular hanger;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the outer portion of the tubularhanger showing the path of the posts therein;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the inner portion of the tubularhanger showing the path of the posts therein;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the intermediate portion of the tubular hangerwith a portion of the top wall thereof cut away;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the intermediate portion of thetubular hanger as taken along line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the actuator rod and drive assembly usedfor advancing the chain to enable a card to be withdrawn from the outerend of the tubular hanger;

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of the card holding device showingthe actuating rod held in its withdrawn position;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line I0l0 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a plan view as taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 8 with portionsof the upper half of the tubular hanger cut away;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line 12l2 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line 1313 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line l4l4 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view as taken along line l515 of FIG. 8;and

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner ofattaching the posts to the links of the chain.

Referring the the drawings, a perspective view of the pilfer-proof cardholding device of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. It should benoted that the detailed cross sectional views of the holding device 75,especially as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, for example, are greatly enlargedfor the purpose of clarifying the details. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 8 thecard holding device 75 includes an elongated tubular hanger 76 whichextends outwardly from a hanger support 77 being held on a pegboard 79.A plurality of spaced retaining posts 80 are disposed along a slot 81provided on the upper wall of the tubular hanger 76. Each retaining post80 provides for retaining a merchandise card 84 on the hanger 76 (FIG.8). An actuating rod 85 having its forward portion extending into therear opening of the tubular hanger 76 is provided with a spring 86 onthe rear portion thereof. As will be described, each time the ac tuatingrod 85 is depressed into the hanger 76 against the action of the spring86, the posts 80 advance forwardly along the slot 81 of the tubularhanger 76 in such a manner that the forwardmost post 80 drops down intothe interior of the tubular hanger 76, thus permitting one of the cards84 to be removed from the front end of the hanger 76.

As shown in FIG. 1, the card holding device 75 is automatically operatedby a conventional coin machine 88. Upon placing a coin in the opening 89of handle 90 and pushing the handle into the coin box 91, a rod 92 onthe back of the box 91 is released for outward movement to rotate alever 93 about a pivot pin 94 on a fixed support 95a. As shown in FIG.12, the lower arm 96 of the lever is attached by a bolt 97 and nut 98 toa clevis 99 on the end of the actuating rod 85. Thus when the coinmachine 88 is actuated, the rod 85 is depressed into the hanger 76against the action of spring 86.

FIG. 8 shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the card holding device75. Tubular hanger 76 is rigidly held by its inner end on thecylindrical portion 87 of hanger support 77. A vertical portion 100 ofsupport 77 is provided with lugs 95 on the upper corners thereof whichfit into spaced holes 78 on pegboard 79. The interior of tubular hanger76, as shown by the cross section in FIG. 10, for example, is providedwith flat opposing vertical side walls 101a and 10112. The slot 81 onthe tubular hanger 76 extends along the entire length of the upper wallfrom just forward of the support 77 to the front end thereof. As' viewedin FIG. 10, the slot 81 is located to the left of the vertical axis ofthe hanger 76. A short slot 82 extends along a portion of the bottomwall of hanger 76 in front of hanger support 77 and a short slot 83extends along the portion of the bottom wall of the outer end of thehanger 76.

As best shown in FIG. 2, a horizontal shelf 102 is formed within thetubular hanger 76. The shelf 102 extends from a point spaced inward fromthe support 77 to a point spaced inward from the forward end of hanger76. Positioned on a pilot shaft 112 rotatably mounted in a bearing 126on the side wall of hanger 76 and adjacent the inner end of the shelf102, as viewed in FIG. 8, is a sprocket drive comprised of adrum 103having an intermediate cylindrical portion provided with sprockets 106.Mounted within the hanger 76 adjacent the outer or forward end of theshelf 102 is a stationary. cylindrical guide 105. As shown in FIG. 9,the stationary guide 105 is fixed in position against the flat verticalside wall 101!) of hanger 76 by a screw 133. Theguide 105 includes areduced diameter cylindrical surface 135. A loop of chain 107 ispositioned within the tubular hanger 76 with the links on one end of theloop fitted on the sprockets 106 on'the cylindrical portion of drum I03and the links on the other end of the loop slidably positioned on thecylindrical surface 135 of the guide 105. It is thus seen that the chain107 encircles the shelf 102. As shown in FIG. 9, a flat projection 106aextends along the top inner wall of the hanger 76 above the shelf 102.The projection 1060 provides an upper surface against which the chain107 bears. The retaining posts 80 are each held to be freely rotatableon a pin 111 insertable in an opening in the side ofa link 136 of thechain 107 (FIG. 16). The end of pin 111 may be secured to link 136 bywelding.

As shown in FIG. 8, the posts 80 attached to the portion of the chain107 spanning the upper surface of the shelf 102 are vertically orientedwith their flat bottoms resting on the top surfaces of the shelf 102,and posts attached to the portion of the chain 107 spanning the lowersurface of the shelf 102 are horizontally oriented with their sidesresting on the inner lower wall of the tubular hanger 76. As describedsubsequently herein, when the actuating rod is depressed into the hanger76 a rack 115 formed on the inner end of the rod 85 engages a pinion 116on the end ofa clutch 118 which rotates the drum 103 and advances thechain 107 in a clockwise direction about the shelf 102 until theforwardmost post 80 on the end of the tubular hanger 76 advances to theend of the upper surface of the shelf 102 and is lowered down into thetubular hanger 76 and below the shelf whereat it is advanced in theopposite direction while in a horizontal position. This frees one of thecards 84 so that it can be removed from the forward end of the tubularhanger 76. The spring 86 on the rear portion of the actuating rod 85provides for returning the rod to its withdrawn position after it hasbeen actuated by placing a coin. in the coin machine 88.

A set screw 119 passes through the bottom of the cylindrical portion 87of support 77 and the tubular hanger 76. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 13, theset screw 119 extends up into a slot 120a extending along the bottom ofthe rear portion of the actuating rod 85 and limits the inward travel ofthe rod during which the rack 115 on the forward portion thereof rotatesthe pinion 116 and advances the chain 107 so that the posts 80 areadvanced the proper amount to release one of the cards 84.

The hanger support vertical portion and housing 138 may be formed from asingle flat sheet of steel that is stamped to provide the shapes of thelugs 95, the opening 870 for the cylindrical portion 87, the sides ofthe housing 138, and the cut for the spring support 136a. The uppercorners of the vertical portion 100 are then bent back to form the lugs95 and the lower portions of the sheet are bent horizontally andupwardly to form the sides of housing 138 and the support 1360 for theend of a reloading leaf spring 137 enclosed within the housing. Thehousing 138 also functions as a support for the tubular hanger 76. Thecylindrical portion 87 of the support 77 is then attached by welding,for example, to the wall of opening 87a on the vertical portion 100.

As best shown in FIGS. 7 and 13, the actuating rod 85 is provided withflat vertical sides 109a and 10% which slidably engage the flat verticalsides 101a and 10112 on the interior of the tubular hanger 76. As shownin FIG. 7, the side of the forward portion of the actuating rod is cutaway so that the remaining wall has a cross section in the form of asegment. A rectangular end opening a is then machined in the remainingwall and the upper surface of the opening is provided with teeth to forma rack 115. The forward end of the solid portion of actuating rod 85 isfurther provided with a side relief 1 13 for the posts 80 and a circularrelief'114 into. which the clutch 118 and drum 103 can be positionedwhen the actuating rod 85 is advanced into the tubular hanger 76.

A cross-sectional view showing the clutch 118 and drum 103 rotatablysupported in the tubular hanger 76 is shown in FIG. 14. The drum 103which may be a molding is provided with recessess 104on its face andnotches 131 on its periphery (FIG. 7). The intermediate cylindricalportion of the drum 103 is provided with the sprockets 106 and the endportion of the drum 103 opposite the face is formed with flat sidesurfaces 108 and provided with a central opening 110 for receiving thepilot shaft 112. The central opening 110 extends through the drum 103.The clutch 118 which may also be a molding is provided with projections120 on the face thereof and formed with a central shaft 132 whichprojects from either end thereof. One end of the central shaft 132resides in the central opening 110 of the drum 103 and the opposite endof the central shaft 132 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 128 securedto the side wall of the hanger 76. Pinion 116 is secured on the end ofcentral shaft 132 of the clutch 118 and is engaged by the teeth of therack 115. Thus when the clutch 118 is rotated in a clockwise directionby the inward travel of the rack 115 formed on the front portion of theactuating rod 85, the projections 120 on the face of the clutch l 18mesh with the mating recesses 104 on the face of the drum 103 resultingin the chain being advanced an incremental distance along its path.

A conical spring 121 holds the face of drum 103 in engagement with theopposing face of the clutch 118. When the actuation rod 85 is returnedby the spring 86, the conical spring 121 permits the faces of the clutch118 and drum 103 to be separated as the walls of the projections 120 ofthe clutch slip relative to the walls of the recesses 104 on the drum103. As viewed in FIGS. 5 and 6, a sliding member 124 provided with agroove 125 on the side thereof fits in a longitudinal slot 117 formed onthe rear portion of the shelf 102 and thus straddles the wall of theslot. The sliding member 124 is provided with a dog 123 on the rear endthereof and with a stop 122 on the top thereof. The sliding member 124is urged in a forward direction by a spring 127, one end of which isfitted on a pin 129 on the end of the slot 117 of the shelf 102. Theother end of the spring 127 is positioned in an opening 130 in the endof the sliding member 124 opposite dog 123. Normally the dog 123 isurged to engage one of the notches 131 on the periphery of the drum 103to thereby prevent the chain 107 and thus the posts 80 from being movedin a clockwise direction. Likewise the teeth of the rack 115 normallyengaged the pinion 116 on the clutch 118 to thereby prevent the chain107 from being moved in the couterclockwise direction. The cards 84 arethus secured on the hanger 76 by the posts 80.

As shown in FlGS. 2 and 3, in order to facilitate the movement of theposts 80 on the chain 107 about the stationary guide 105, a take upelement 139 is positioned within the front end of the tubular hanger 76.The front end portion 140 of take up element 139 has a slidingengagement within the tubular hanger 76 and the opposite end portion ofthe take up element 139 forms a caming finger 141 which provides a rampfor the posts 80. The slot 83 is provided below the tubular hanger 76 toenable the caming finger 141 to be slipped on the end of the hanger 76.The take up elememt 139 is urged in a forward direction by a spring 142which has one end seated in an opening 143 on the front end of the takeup element 139 and its other end seated in an opening 144 on the rearend of cap 145 which is securely attached on the end of the tubularhanger 76.

In order to load the card holding device 75 with cards 84, it isnecessary to reverse the direction of travel of the chain such that itrotates in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 8, after acard 84 has been placed on the front end of the tubular hanger 76. Toaccomplish this, which can be done by the shop keeper after hours. theactuating rod is released from the lever arm 96 by removing the bolt 97.The set screw 119, which is used for retaining the actuating rod 85 isthe tubular hanger 76 and for limiting its travel, is then removed. Theactuating rod 85 is then withdrawn from the tubular hanger 76. Referringto FIG. 4, a tool (not shown) is then used for moving the sliding member124 forward against its spring 127 by contacting the stop 122 on the topthereof, thus causing the dog 123 to be disengaged from a notch 131 ofthe drum 103. The chain 107 which is now free to be moved in eitherdirection is moved in the counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG.8, to enable the posts 80 to be loaded one at a time with cards 84. Aseach post 80 approaches the rotating drum 103, its movement issynchronized so that the bottom of the post rests on one of the flatside surfaces 108 on the end portion of the drum 103. As the postscontinue to rotate counterclockwise about the drum 103, the leaf spring137 en- I closed in the housing 138 below the tubular hanger 76 providesfor lifting and guiding the posts 80 into their horizontal positions onthe bottom of the hanger 76 after they once leave the flat side surfaces108 of the drum 103. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, as the posts 80 areadvanced by the chain 107 about the stationary guide the caming finger141 of the take up element 139 functions to guide the posts 80 to theirvertical po sition on the top of the shelf 102.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has beendescribed in language more or less specific as to structural features,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificfeatures shown but that the means and construction herein disclosedcomprise a preferred form of putting the invention into effect and theinvention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modificationswithin the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pilfer-proof merchandise card holding device comprising:

a tubular hanger on which merchandise cards can be hung by openingsformed on the cards for that purpose;

said tubular hanger having a slot extending along the upper wallthereof;

a support for said tubular hanger;

an actuating rod slidably movable within said tubular hanger and'havinga rear portion extending from the back thereof;

a rack formed on the end portion of the rod extending into said hanger;

a spring provided on the rear portion of said actuating rod for holdingit in a withdrawn position;

a horizontal shelf within said tubular hanger below the slot of theupper wall thereof;

a sprocket drive rotatably mounted within said tubular hanger adjacentthe inner end of said shelf;

a stationary cylindrical guide mounted within said tubular hangeradjacent the outer end of said shelf;

a continuous loop of chain having one end of its loop positioned on saidsprocket drive and the other end of its loop positioned about saidcylindrical guide so as to encircle said shelf;

a' plurality of spaced retaining posts attached to said chain, the postson the portion of the chain above said shelf extending through the sloton the upper wall of said tubular hanger with one of the merchandisecards hanging on the hanger behind each of said posts;

a clutch having a pinion on the end thereof rotatably mounted withinsaid tubular hanger for driving engagement with said sprocket drive; and

said rack onthe end portion of said actuating rod engaging said pinion;

whereby each time said actuating rod is depressed into said tubularhanger against the action of said spring, the rack on the end portionthereof rotates the clutch and the sprocket drive to thereby advance thechain and cause the forwardmost post extending through the slot on theupper wall of the hanger to be pulled by the chain to a position withinthe hanger.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 including:

a coin operated machine;

said coin operated machine having a handle'with an opening for receivinga coin;

lever means to depress the actuating rod when pivoted;

said coin operated machine operated to pivot said lever means when itshandle is pushed inward with a coin in the opening thereof.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1 includa set screw extendingthrough the support for the hanger and into a slot provided along thelength of said actuating rod;

said set screw providing for limiting the travel of said actuating rodwhen depressed.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1 including an end portion onsaid sprocket drive provided with flatsides;

whereby the bottom of a post is synchronized to be positioned on one-ofthe flat sides of said portion as it is moved by the chain about thesprocket drive.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 1 including a take up elementpositioned within the outer end of said tubular hanger;

said take up element including a spring-loaded caming finger forassisting in the changing of the orientation of a post as it is carriedby said chain about the stationary cylindrical guide.

6. The invention in accordance with claim I wherein the sprocket driveis provided with notches on the periphery thereof and including:

asliding member slidably supported on a slot provided on the inner endof said shelf;

said sliding member having a dog on the rear end thereof and aprojecting stop on the top thereof;

said sliding member provided with a spring for urging said member in arearward direction so that the dog engages one of the notches on thesprocket drive; and

said rack on the end of said actuating rod providing for contacting saidstop to disengage the dog from said sprocket drive when the rod isdepressed into said tubular hanger to thereby enable said rack to rotatesaid sprocket drive and drive said chain to advance the posts.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuating rodcan be readily disassembled from the rear end of said tubular hanger toenable said sprocket drive to be rotated in the opposite direction tothereby load the hanger with cards.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7 including a leaf springsupported by one end below an opening provided on the lower wall of saidtubular hanger;

said leaf springservingto lift said posts to a horizontal position formovement within said hanger by said chain during the loading of thecards on the hanger.

9. A pilfer-proof merchandise card holding device comprising:

a tubular hanger having a free end on which merchandise cards can behung by openings formed on the cards for that purpose, said tubularhanger having an elongated slot on the upper wall theredf;

a bracket on the back end of said tubular hanger;

an actuating rod slidably moveable within said tubular hanger and havinga rear portion extending from the back thereof;

a spring on the rear portion of said actuating rod for holding it in awithdrawn position;

an .elongated support means within said tubular hanger below theelongated slot on the upper wall thereof;

advancing means disposed above said elongated support means;

drive means operated by the movement of said actuating rod into saidtubular hanger to advance said advancing means; and

a plurality of spaced retaining posts each of said posts being attachedto said advancing means and being supported in a vertical position onsaid elongated support means so as to extend through the slot on theupper wall of said tubular hanger with one of said merchandise cardshanging on the hanger behind each of said posts;

whereby each time said actuating rod is moved into said tubular hangeragainst the action of said spring, said drive means incrementallyadvances said advancing means toward the free end of said tubular hangerto thereby cause the forwardmost retaining post to be advanced beyondthe forward end of said support means and moved to an inclined positionwithin said tubular hanger to permit the removal of one of saidmerchandise cards off the free end of said hanger.

1. A pilfer-proof merchandise card holding device comprising: a tubularhanger on which merchandise cards can be hung by openings formed on thecards for that purpose; said tubular hanger having a slot extendingalong the upper wall thereof; a support for said tubular hanger; anactuating rod slidably movable within said tubular hanger and having arear portion extending from the back thereof; a rack formed on the endportion of the rod extending into said hanger; a spring provided on therear portion of said actuating rod for holding it in a withdrawnposition; a horizontal shelf within said tubular hanger below the slotof the upper wall thereof; a sprocket drive rotatably mounted withinsaid tubular hanger adjacent the inner end of said shelf; a stationarycylindrical guide mounted within said tubular hanger adjacent the outerend of said shelf; a continuous loop of chain having one end of its looppositioned on said sprocket drive and the other end of its looppositioned about said cylindrical guide so as to encircle said shelf; aplurality of spaced retaining posts attached to said chain, the posts onthe portion of the chain above said shelf extending through the slot onthe upper wall of said tubular hanger with one of the merchandise cardshanging on the hanger behind each of said posts; a clutch having apinion on the end thereof rotatably mounted within said tubular hangerfor driving engagement with said sprocket drive; and said rack on theend portion of said actuating rod engaging said pinion; whereby eachtime said actuating rod is depressed into said tubular hanger againstthe action of said spring, the rack on the end portion thereof rotatesthe clutch and the sprocket drive to thereby advance the chain and causethe forwardmost post extending through the slot on the upper wall of thehanger to be pulled by the chain to a position within the hanger.
 2. Theinvention in accordance with claim 1 including: a coin operated machine;said coin operated machine having a handle with an opening for receivinga coin; lever means to depress the actuating rod when pivoted; said coinoperated machine operated to pivot said lever means when its handle ispushed inward with a coin in the opening thereof.
 3. The invention inaccordance with claim 1 including: a set screw extending through thesupport for the hanger and into a slot provided along the length of saidactuating rod; said set screw providing for limiting the travel of saidactuating rod when depressed.
 4. The invention in accordance with claim1 including an end portion on said sprocket drive provided with flatsides; whereby the bottom of a post is synchronized to the be positionedon one of the flat sides of said portion as it is moved by the chainabout the sprocket drive.
 5. The invention in accordance with claim 1including a take up element positioned within the outer end of saidtubular hanger; said take up element including a spring-loaded camingfinger for assisting in the changing of the orientation of a post as itis carried by said chain about the stationary cylindrical guide.
 6. Theinvention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the sprocket drive isprovided witH notches on the periphery thereof and including: a slidingmember slidably supported on a slot provided on the inner end of saidshelf; said sliding member having a dog on the rear end thereof and aprojecting stop on the top thereof; said sliding member provided with aspring for urging said member in a rearward direction so that the dogengages one of the notches on the sprocket drive; and said rack on theend of said actuating rod providing for contacting said stop todisengage the dog from said sprocket drive when the rod is depressedinto said tubular hanger to thereby enable said rack to rotate saidsprocket drive and drive said chain to advance the posts.
 7. Theinvention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said actuating rod can bereadily disassembled from the rear end of said tubular hanger to enablesaid sprocket drive to be rotated in the opposite direction to therebyload the hanger with cards.
 8. The invention in accordance with claim 7including a leaf spring supported by one end below an opening providedon the lower wall of said tubular hanger; said leaf spring serving tolife said posts to a horizontal position for movement within said hangerby said chain during the loading of the cards on the hanger.
 9. Apilfer-proof merchandise card holding device comprising: a tubularhanger having a free end on which merchandise cards can be hung byopenings formed on the cards for that purpose, said tubular hangerhaving an elongated slot on the upper wall thereof; a bracket on theback end of said tubular hanger; an actuating rod slidably moveablewithin said tubular hanger and having a rear portion extending from theback thereof; a spring on the rear portion of said actuating rod forholding it in a withdrawn position; a elongated support means withinsaid tubular hanger below the elongated slot on the upper wall thereof;advancing means disposed above said elongated support means; drive meansoperated by the movement of said actuating rod into said tubular hangerto advance said advancing means; and a plurality of spaced retainingposts each of said posts being attached to said advancing means andbeing supported in a vertical position on said elongated support meansso as to extend through the slot on the upper wall of said tubularhanger with one of said merchandise cards hanging on the hanger behindeach of said posts; whereby each time said actuating rod is moved intosaid tubular hanger against the action of said spring, said drive meansincrementally advances said advancing means toward the free end of saidtubular hanger to thereby cause the forwardmost retaining post to beadvanced beyond the forward end of said support means and moved to aninclined position within said tubular hanger to permit the removal ofone of said merchandise cards off the free end of said hanger.